1
as in cerebral
much given to learning and thinking
as the daughter of college professors, she's used to being around intellectual people
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mental
of or relating to the mind
intellectual pursuits such as reading and studying
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3
as in educational
of or relating to schooling or learning especially at an advanced level
research that shows that people from very intellectual backgrounds are happiest with spouses having comparable educations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nerd
a person with strong intellectual interests
discovered that in politics a reputation for being an intellectual was regarded as a liability
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intellectual
Jose Bolaños, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Your 4th House of Foundations gets talkative as intellectual Mercury enters, making chats about your space easier to plan and finish.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2026
Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Mar. 2026
The mix of Byzantine architecture, volcanic landscapes, and community of artists and intellectuals makes a visit here feel like a rare discovery.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for intellectual
Adjective
Since 1989, Country Montessori School has been helping children develop their intellectual, physical, social, and emotional potential to the fullest.
—Jose Bolaños, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Your 4th House of Foundations gets talkative as intellectual Mercury enters, making chats about your space easier to plan and finish.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
These movements were led by a broad spectrum of Korean intellectuals and activists.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Mar. 2026
The mix of Byzantine architecture, volcanic landscapes, and community of artists and intellectuals makes a visit here feel like a rare discovery.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for intellectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intellectual
Adjective
-
Symptoms in humans can surface weeks after exposure to the disease, and can include cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, insomnia and hydrophobia, the fear of water.—
Ricardo Delgado,
San Antonio Express-News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Last month, the FDA approved its use for cerebral folate deficiency, which is seen in some people with autism.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The red-light technology is designed for all fitness levels and also adds a wellness component including relaxation, skin health and mental well-being.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Research has long linked strong social connections to better mental and physical health, and loneliness, now widely described as a public health crisis, is partly a result of how surface-level so much of our digital communication has become.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Plus, there are optional educational opportunities each week with doctors, nutritionists, physical therapists, professional coaches, and other running and walking experts.—
AJC Staff,
AJC.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Next Steps Idaho, a government resource for career and educational opportunities, recommends buying generic trash bags, cotton swabs and other items as well.—
Hali Smith
April 20,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Rays were also at the forefront of other innovations and/or adjustments, such as defensive shifts, lineup platoons, matchup bullpens, star-quality super-utility players and putting a numbers nerd (technically a process and analytics coach) in the dugout.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
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But stereotypes about tiger moms and math nerds aside, education has been central to Asia’s economic rise, making the stakes especially high.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Schools across the Emirates were shuttered for weeks after the war began, shifting students to remote learning, prompting some parents, who CNBC has spoken with since the war began, to send children back to their home countries to complete the academic term at schools teaching in-person.—
Emma Graham,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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The distinction is more than an academic nicety.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The company said an internal analysis presented at the 2026 Stanford Geothermal Workshop supports output of at least 50 MW of always-on renewable electricity from a small number of wells.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Apr. 2026
-
But its drafters failed to adhere to proper standards and lacked enough evidence to support a relationship between the two groups, according to a summary of the internal findings that was released to Congress in April 2024.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Despite their ubiquity, school yearbooks are a largely untapped source for scholarly inquiry.—
Michael A Messner,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
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Path to Open Books on JSTOR The Urgency of Indigenous Values is part of JSTOR’s Path to Open program, which expands access to high-quality scholarly monographs while building a sustainable path to open access.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Deadline asks the Festival chief whether Series Mania is focused on the highbrow of the drama spectrum.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2025
-
Wagner would be a sleepless highbrow’s favorite; the long, lush, unbroken lines of music share with the white-noise hum of the air-conditioner or the thrum of the painstaking lecture the quality of being absorbing without offering undue eventfulness.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Intellectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intellectual. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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